Letters – Joseph Richmond to Richard Ellis – 28 Jun 1757

To Mr Richd. Ellis at Hexham

Newcastle 28 June 1757

Sir

	The late Mrs Windsor's estate at Kirkheaton will, as no heir has yet been found, in all probability be an Escheat & we are endeavouring to make out Sr. W[alte]r Blacketts Title to the same, in right of his Manor of Anickgrange, At wch you say it has immemorially done suit & service. I desire therefore, if you have any old Suit Rolls in Sir Jno. Fenwicks time or before, or any other antient evidence of their doing suit & service at Anickgrange, or any instances of the tenants of that estate being amerced on any occasion, or any Waifs or Strays taken on the estate for the Lord of the s[ai]d Manor, or any other proofs of seigniory, you will send them to my Father or Me, as soon as you can conveniently can  -  I think you wrote my Fa[the]r that they have never paid any feefarm or other rent to Sr.Wrs. manor.

	L[or]d North[umber]lands agents say That the Kirkheaton tenants have done suit & service at Ovingham (or Prudhoe) Court, for time immemorial, & that they pay a rent of 12d a year wch is a feefarm rent & therefore they look upon it that his L[or]ds[hi]p has the right to the s[ai]d escheat  -  The Steward & tenants of the s[ai]d estate acknowledge the serving on juries at Ovingham court & the payment of the s[ai]d 12d a yr, but they do not know what is for, neither have they ever had any receipts given them for the same.

	This suit & service to the Two Courts is a thing we cannot understand for we do not find in any of the writings or records we have, that these two courts have ever been connected with or dependant on one another, & how or when this suit to Ovingham court has commenced we have not yet learned.   I am etc H[enry] R[ichmond]